Russia: Pavel Chernov takes office as prime minister of Karelia.Switzerland: Pascal Couchepin takes office as president and interior minister, Ruth Metzler as vice president, and Micheline Calmy-Rey as foreign minister. Claude Lässer becomes president of the Council of State of Fribourg, Stefan Engler president of the government of Graubünden, Gérald Schaller president of the government of Jura, Margrit Fischer-Willimann Schultheiss of Luzern, Hans-Peter Lenherr president of the government of Schaffhausen, Christian Wanner Landammann of Solothurn, Jean-Claude Mermoud president of the Council of State of Vaud, and Walter Suter Landammann of Zug.

Couchepin

Metzler

Lässer

Engler

Schaller

Fischer-Willimann

Wanner

Mermoud

Suter

Dam

United States: Kenneth W. Dam becomes acting treasury secretary. The Senate confirms John Snow's nomination as new secretary on January 30.

Granholm

United States: Jennifer Granholm is inaugurated as governor of Michigan and Bill Richardson as governor of New Mexico.United States: Former South Dakota governor (1955-59) Joe Foss dies.

2

United States: Mitt Romney is inaugurated as governor of Massachusetts.

3

India: Surjit Singh Barnala is sworn in as governor of Andhra Pradesh.

Musyoka

Kenya: President Mwai Kibaki announces his cabinet, including Michael Kijana Wamalwa as vice president, Kalonzo Musyoka as foreign minister, David Mwiraria as finance minister, and Moody Awori as home affairs minister.

4

Burundi: In a cabinet reshuffle, Athanase Gahungu replaces Édouard Kadigiri as finance minister.Russia: In Kalmykia, President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov also becomes chairman of the government.

5

European Union: Roy Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead, former president of the Commission (1977-81), dies.Lithuania: In the presidential election runoff, Rolandas Paksas wins 54.9% of the vote against 45.1% for incumbent Valdas Adamkus. Turnout is 52.1%. Paksas will take office February 26.United States: Jerry E. Abramson takes office as mayor of metropolitan Louisville (merged with Jefferson County).

7

Rounds

United States: Don Carcieri is sworn in as governor of Rhode Island and Mike Rounds as governor of South Dakota.

8

Côte d'Ivoire: Former foreign minister (1977-90) Siméon Aké dies.

Agarwal

India: Sudarshan Agarwal is sworn in as governor of Uttaranchal.Nauru: The parliament votes 8-3 (with 7 of the 18 members absent) to approve a no-confidence resolution in President René Harris and decides to replace him with Bernard Dowiyogo, who is sworn in on January 9 when he names a cabinet including Remy Namaduk as finance minister. On January 10 Harris, alleging that the no-confidence vote was invalid for lack of a majority, obtains a 72-hour injunction from the Supreme Court of Nauru (sitting at Melbourne, Australia), prohibiting Dowiyogo from acting as president. On January 17 Harris is reinstated as the court rules that 9 votes are required to pass a no-confidence vote. However, Harris gives up the presidency on January 18, and Dowiyogo is elected with 9 votes against 8 for Kinza Clodumar.United States: John Baldacci takes office as governor of Maine and Jim Douglas as governor of Vermont.

9

10

Djibouti: In parliamentary elections, the Union for a Presidential Majority wins 62.2% of the vote (all 65 seats in parliament) against 36.9% for the Union for a Democratic Alternative. Turnout is 48%.

12

Argentina: Former president (1981-82) Leopoldo Galtieri dies.China: Han Yuqun is appointed acting governor of Shandong.

13

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Prime Minister Adnan Terzic's government is approved. It includes Mladen Ivanic as foreign minister and Ljerka Maric as finance minister.Indonesia: Usman Ja'far is sworn in as governor of Kalimantan Barat.

Perdue

Sebelius

United States: Sonny Perdue takes office as governor of Georgia, Rod Blagojevich as governor of Illinois, Kathleen Sebelius as governor of Kansas, Brad Henry as governor of Oklahoma, and Ted Kulongoski as governor of Oregon.

15

Czech Republic: Jaroslav Bures and Miroslav Krízenecký are eliminated in the first round of voting for a new president. Václav Klaus and Petr Pithart advance to the second round, in which neither wins the necessary majorities in both houses of parliament, Klaus winning the lower house 77-46 and Pithart the Senate 43-32. A third round, with a majority of the combined votes in both houses sufficient, is equally inconclusive, Klaus taking 113 votes (short of the 141-vote majority), Pithart 84, and 84 ballots naming neither.

17

Bosnia and Herzegovina: The parliament of the Republika Srpska approves the new cabinet headed by Dragan Mikerevic (48-33). Zoran Djeric becomes interior minister and Milovan Stankovic defense minister; Simeun Vilendecic is confirmed as finance minister.Greenland: Prime Minister Hans Enoksen of the Siumut party forms a new government with the Atassut party, after his coalition with the Inuit Ataqatigiit collapsed. Augusta Salling becomes finance minister.

19

China: Meng Xuenong is elected mayor of Beijing.Cuba: In parliamentary elections, 609 candidates are elected unopposed. Turnout is 97.6%.United States: Former secretary of the Air Force (1985-86) Russell A. Rourke dies.Venezuela: President Hugo Chávez names Gen. Lucas Rincón interior minister.

20

Indonesia: Amin Syam is sworn in as governor of Sulawesi Selatan.

Riley

United States: Bob Riley takes office as governor of Alabama.

21

Cameroon: Former foreign minister (1987-88) Philippe Mataga dies.

Rendell

United States: Ed Rendell takes office as governor of Pennsylvania.

22

The Netherlands: In parliamentary elections, the Christian Democrats win 28.6% of the vote (44 of 150 seats), the Labour Party 27.3% (42), the right-liberals (VVD) 17.9% (28), the Socialist Party 6.3% (9), the List Pim Fortuyn 5.7% (8), Green Left 5.1% (8), and the left-liberals (D66) 4.1% (6). Turnout is 79.9%.United States: The Senate approves Tom Ridge as secretary of homeland security. The new department comes into being on January 24. As Navy Secretary Gordon England becomes deputy secretary of homeland security, Susan Morrisey Livingstone becomes acting Navy secretary.

24

China: Dai Xianglong is elected mayor of Tianjin.Czech Republic: In a new attempt to elect a president, Václav Klaus and Jaroslava Moserová win through to the second round of voting, Milos Zeman coming in third. In the second round the lower house votes 118-74 in favour of Klaus and the Senate 42-33 for Moserová. In the third round, Klaus receives 127 votes against 65 for Moserová, with 89 legislators abstaining.

Mikichura

Russia: Gennady Mikichura becomes prime minister of Adygeya.

25

26

Madagascar: The Council of Ministers appoints four new provincial governors (presidents of the special delegation): Grégoire Arson Indray for Antsiranana, Gen. Ravelomanga Randrianarivo for Fianarantsoa, Col. Vincent Toto for Mahajanga, and Gen. Soja for Toliara. Indray and Toto take office on January 30.Russia: In gubernatorial elections in Taymyr autonomous okrug, Norilsk mayor Oleg Budargin wins about 70% of the votes, Gennady Subbotkin 7.2%, six other candidates about 10%, 12.8% voting against all candidates. Turnout is about 50%.

27

Lozancic

Bosnia and Herzegovina: Niko Lozancic is elected president of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.Peru: Interior Minister Gino Costa resigns. Alberto Sanabria Ortiz is appointed in his place.Poland: Former chairman of the Council of State (1972-85) Henryk Jablonski dies.

30

Cook Islands: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Sir Geoffrey Henry and his Cook Islands Party are ousted from the coalition government. Terepai Maoate replaces Henry on January 31.Switzerland: Former president of the government of Schaffhausen (1975, 1980, 1985) Kurt Waldvogel dies.